Manifold heater



Patented Sept. 4, 1923.

UNITED STATES ARTHUR N. ARMSTRONG, OF OhlEIDA, NEXV YORK.

MANIFOLD HEATER.

Application filed January 27, 1922. Serial No. 532,155.

To an whom it may concern Be it known that I, ARTHUR N. ARMSTRONG, of Oneida, in the county of Madison, in the State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Manifold Heaters, of which the following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to a certain new and useful manifold heater.

It is well known that when an internal combustion engine is cold, the vaporization oi liquid'luel by the ordinary carburetor is not as complete as is desirable for easy starting of the engine. And for that reason means should be and have been provided located between the carburetor and the cylinder or cylinders, :lor ei'ltecting a more complete vaporization of the liquid fuel. The application of heat to the partially vaporized iuel is a most effective means for pro ducing a "further and perhaps practically complete reduction of the liquid to vapor, and the object of this invention is the production of a highly efiicient heating element for increasing the degree of vaporization of the fuel on its way from the carburetor to the cylinder.

Other objects and advantages relate to the details of construction, form and arrangement of the heating element, all as will more :t'ully appear from the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l. is an elevation of a portion of a manifold to which the heating element of my invention has been applied.

Figure 2 is a sectional view of the heating element.

.As shown. the heating element is inserted in the pipe -2 leading from the carburetor (not shown) to the manifold 3 of an internal combustion engine, the part --2 constituting for all purposes a portion at said manifold. The heating element 1-- is preferably constructed in the form shown in Figure 2, and comprises primarily a cup-shaped cap ---;l. penetrated by a bolt -18-, the head -5 of which constitutes a stop-member preventing endwise removal of the cap i-- in one direction. Within the cap -4e is mounted one end of a resistance element -6-- in the form of a cylindrical. member, preferably, as shown, having its central. portion provided with a plurality of perforations 7-. The interior diameter of the cylinder 6 is somewhat greater than the external diameter of the bolt or red 18, so as to be spaced therefrom throughout its entire length, the spaced positions of said parts being determined and maintained by the cap 4 and the engage ment of the cylinder -6 and the bolt -l8'therewith. The opposite end of the cylinder 6 is engaged by a tubular connection -8 having its end formed in somewhat conical shape for receiving the end of the cylinder The lower portion of the external wall oi? the connection --8- is threaded, as indicated at -9 for engage ment with an interiorly threaded tapped opening to be formed in the manifold, or

pipe 2, for rigidly connecting the heating element to the pipe.

In addition, the external surface'of the connection -8- at the base of the threaded part 9] may be formed with a groove or circnn'i'lerential recess 20 for the reception of packing or a washer adapted to assist informing an air-tight connection. The rear portion oi. the connecting member -8--, as indicated -1()-- is formed in the shape ota nut, by means of which the connecting member may beforcibly screwed into the opening tapped in the pipe 2-.

lVithin this connection 8- and surrounding the bolt -1.8i s a cylindrical in sulating block 1--having a base flange 12 projecting outwardly therefrom so as to engage the end or the connection 8- and separate said connection and insulate it from a clamping nut -13- which has a threaded engagement with. the threaded end -14lof the bolt 18, and acts to positively maintain the parts so far named in their desired relative position, as indicated in the drawings.

A terminal or binding post -15 is pro vided, preferably formed with an interiorly threaded recess 16- for threaded engagement with the exposed end of the rod or shaft -18, and which acts to lock the clamping member -l3 in desired position, and maintains the electrical connec tions in desired contact relation. The electrical circuit may be connected in any suit: able manner to the shaft 18 and as shown, is so connected through the medium of the terminal 15. This electrical circuit may lead from any suitable battery and preferably is provided with a hand switch located within easy reach of the operator of the vehicle, as tor instance, upon the dash board. The current flows from the liiattery thru terminal 15, or directly to the shaft l8, through the shaft and the cap 4 into the heating element -6-, through the heating element to the connection 8 and through the connection -8 to the manitold or pipe 2 and thereby the current is grounded.

.ll 'relerably all of the currcnt-carrying parts are o l comparatively low resistance, as compared *ith the cylinder G. The essentially novel clement oi this construction oil? heating element the cyl ind-Pr which by reason of its '5 rm and relation to the other parts oi the device .is positively and absolutely maintained in predelei-mined i 'iosition without regard to the extent ol heating thereot, and which by means of suitable openings 7- can be made to have a high mechanical and electrical resistance at its ends so that the parts hat are positively and mechanically gripped by adjacent parts are not weakened, while the electrical. insistancc oi" "the center por tion can be reduced. by the i'ormation ol" suitable perforations. Further. the passage ot the Vapor through the openings --i'- in its movement along the pipe -2- tends. in addition, to break up and disintegrate the partially vaporized liquid. This heating element may be formed of any suitable high resistance material such as carbon or steel, preferably if steel. is used, a steel of high. carbon content.

It is 'tound in actual practice that it takes but a fraction of a minute to heat the f'lllL drical element -G- red hot, and that it maintained in that condition witlnnit utilizing a very great amount of current.

It is found sutlicient to merely close the switch 1.7- but a traction of a minute before it is desired to rranl: the engine whether manually or by the .sual electrical starting means. The cylinder 6 becomes red hot and. increases or practically co;n pletes vaporization of the liquid fuel, passin thru the manifold of the engine so that the .iiuel is supplied to the cylinders in a highly elficient condition, facilitating the easy starting of the en ine. The switch may then be closed, and the engine used in the ordinary manner without any further use or loss of current "from the battery, so far as this heating; eleu'ient concerned. It may be desirable to use a switch that is normally opened by springs or otherwise and is maintained in closed position, manually for the desired period of time, and then automath cally opens by spring-pressure or otherwise in the usual and well known manner.

ill/rho l hare shown and described a specific construction as illustrative of a pre li'erred embodiment oil my invention, it will be obvious that various changes in the term, construction and relation out the details of the device may be made without departing trom the invention as set forth in the appended claim.

t claim:

manifold heater comprising a shaft having}; a. head at one end. and its opposite end threaded, a cupshaped cap mounted on the shalt and in contact with said head, a tubular heating element surrounding, said shaft and. spaced therefrom and. having one end titted. within the cap, a tubular connection surrounding the shaft and engaging the other end of said heating element, an insulating block between. the shaft and said connection, and a nut engaged with the threaded end of the shaft and in contact with said insulating block for holding said parts in rigid predetermined relation.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 19th day of January, 1922.

, ARTHUR N. ARMSTRONG.

Witnesses WILLIAM KOHLER, FRANK ARMSTRONG. 

